Meditation Mondays – Heroes of Faith – King Josiah

As I continue the Heroes of Faith, today’s study discusses King Josiah. We can read about King Josiah in 2 Kings 22-23 and 2 Chronicles 34-35. For this study, I reference passages from 2 Kings.

King Josiah followed the 2 year reign on his father, King Amon. Amon was described as doing evil in the sight of the Lord and serving and worshiping idols. When Amon was killed by his servants, the people made Amon’s 8 year old son, Josiah, king. Josiah reigned as king for 31 years.

“Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. So he walked in all the ways that his father had walked; and he served the idols that his father had served, and worshiped them. He forsook the Lord God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord.” 2 Kings 21:19-22

“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” 2 Kings 22:1-2

King Josiah is an incredible story of faith. When he learned about the true and living God, he chose to follow the path of righteousness like his ancestor King David rather than following the example given to him by his father Amon and grandfather King Manasseh.

“Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, that he tore his clothes. Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Michaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king, saying, “Go, inquire of the Lord for me, for the people and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the Lord that is aroused against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.” 2 Kings 22:11-13

“But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Concerning the words which you have heard— because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants, that they would become a desolation and a curse, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord.” 2 Kings 22:18-19

Upon learning the truth, King Josiah studied God’s word and made the commitment to live according to the commandments and statutes of the Lord. He purged Judah of all idols and reinstated the law of Moses and the observance of the Passover.

“Now the king sent them to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him. The king went up to the house of the Lord with all the men of Judah, and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the Lord.Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, to follow the Lord and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.” 2 Kings 23:1-3

“Then the king commanded all the people, saying, “Keep the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.” 2 Kings 23:21

King Josiah left a legacy that is unmatched He gives us a powerful example of faith.

While King Josiah’s story has many lessons, I believe the most powerful thing we can learn from Josiah is how he committed completely to following God and to live according the His Word. “Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.” 2 Kings 23:25. An incredible and powerful legacy that Josiah leaves us.